Brentford Police Station Closing, Chiswick scaled back
The Met is proposing that Hounslow Police station will be the borough's only 24/7 station, with Chiswick scaled back to 9-5 weekdays and Brentford closed completely. All as part of the Mayor of London’s 20% budget cuts. What do readers think?The Met are saying the public can meet the police in cafes, supermarkets and Council offices. However there is no detail about this, and when questioned about the scale and permanence of alternatives at the consultation meeting in Hounslow on 9th February, Stephen Greenhalgh could give no details. Queues are already long at police counters, but perhaps more importantly, they provide safe space for the public - with an outer waiting area, going through to a separate space at the counter, protecting people from the waiting area. This is particularly valuable for those in fear of attack when reporting crime to the police. I cannot see how this can easily be replicated in shops and supermarkets. Most shops are very tight for space, and supermarkets need flexibility in their space and may be reluctant to cover the cost. The Council doesn't have suitable premises in the Brentford area but will of course be willing to discuss with the Council - no approach has been received yet.I have little faith that the current consultation is actually about "bringing the police to the people", and has everything to do with scaling back the "front of house" to the bare minimum service - with resulting increase in un-reported crime.
Ruth Cadbury ● 4553d15 Comments